Paan
（重定向自Betel Leaf）
![On display are the items used in a chewing session. The betel leaves are variously folded. Slices of the dry areca nut are on the upper left and slices of the tender areca nut on the upper right. The pouch on the right has tobacco, an optional element. On the lower right, there are dried cloves.](/Images/godic/202412/24/Paan602422.jpg")
![Paan made with areca nut and lime, with or without tobacco, causes profuse red coloured salivation, known in Tok Pisin as buai pekpek. This saliva is spat, yielding stains and biological waste pollution in public spaces. Many countries and municipalities have laws to prevent paan spit.[1][2]](/Images/godic/202412/24/Spit_from_chewing_Areca_nut_022422.JPG")
![Betel leaves at a market in Mandalay, Burma](/Images/godic/202412/24/Betel_leaves_at_a_market_in_Mandalay,_Myanmar2422.JPG")
![Health effects of chewing paan: gum damage, tooth decay and oral cancer](/Images/godic/202412/24/Sharp_Smile2423.jpg")
Paan (Hindi: पान from Sanskrit parṇa, "leaf") is a preparation combining betel leaf with areca nut and sometimes also with tobacco. It is chewed for its stimulant and psychoactive effects. After chewing it is either spat out or swallowed. Paan has many variations. Slaked lime (chunnam) paste is commonly added to bind the leaves. Some South Asian preparations include katha paste or mukhwas to freshen the breath.